More info on the Dell PDA

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.itworld.com/Comp/1235/020624dellhandheld/">http://www.itworld.com/Comp/1235/020624dellhandheld/</a><br /><br />"Dell Computer Corp. is planning its first foray into the handheld market and has been negotiating with several Taiwanese original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to produce a higher-end product to gun against rivals Toshiba Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co., reports this week indicate."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2002/20020621-delldude.jpg" /><br /><br />Seems to be less and less of a rumor. It makes total sense though. "However, HP is phasing out its line of Jornada handhelds now that it has acquired Compaq Computer Corp. Instead, HP will push Compaq's iPAQ line of handhelds. Given that Dell and Compaq are long-time rivals, it is unlikely that Dell would want to resell Compaq-designed handhelds and may be looking for a similar branded PDA with which it can compete. "The 'new HP' is clearly the target here," said Ars senior analyst for mobile computing Matt Sargent, who worked with Bhavnani on the report."<br /><br />So Dude, are you getting a Dell? <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif" />

[Brad Adrian]

You know, though, one of the main things that Dell has been able to bring to me as a customer is its ability to help me define my needs and offer a customized PC. For their success with PCs to directly translate into success with PDAs I wonder if that customization component will be necessary. And I wonder how possible it would be to offer "customized" Pocket PCs.

[sundown]

Although I love my Jornada, I have high hopes for an offering by Dell. I've used their servers and desktops for years and they are the only company (maybe except for Penguin Servers) that I've dealt with that I have a positive feeling about. I hate my HP desktops (they are very poor performers) and I equally hated our Compaq webservers (always had OS problems due to strange motherboard configurations). But alas, I realize that as those two comments illustrate, companies don't always make good products across the board so I won't be the first to buy a Dell.

[Duncan]

The problem, as I see it, is that when it comes to corporate sales Dell seem to have a very good rep. Dealing with individual users, however, they don't seem to care much. This is based only on what I've heard - it may be that others have heard very different.

[heliod]

Maybe this is just what we need for Pocket PC to take full lead in the corporate market, bringing more applications and accessories, and transforming it into a standard that will surely go over the border to the consumer market.

I am hoping the rumour is true. I think it will be great for the market.

[Duncan]

Agreed. It can only be a good thing.

[Will T Smith]

First.

The author of this article is outright dense. He keeps alluding to Dell and Intel as a reason for adopting X-Scale. The fact is that there is really no other choice out there right now for PocketPC (TI's implementation isn't ready yet).


Furthermore, I found the allusion to Compaq and Dell as rivals to be a silly analysis. The reason Dell doesn't sell iPaq, is because they're unreliable and high maintenance. Dell makes it's living satisfying the needs of corporate IT. The patch heavy, accesory dependent, easy to break iPaq hardly fits this model.


Second -
HP's abandonment of the Jornada line is an invitation to Dell. They carried these handhelds because of their size, practicality and mature styling (not a handheld boy-racer toy).

I would expect an offering from Dell to include an integrated lid, CF, a swappable battery and Bluetooth. In other words, it will be alot like the forsaken Jornada 570 ;-)


HP's assumption that Jornada users will fall over and "tow the line" is ridiculous. They claim a market share that includes both iPaq AND Jornada. They don't realize that Jornada customers wholeheartedly reject the overworked iPaq concept. Furthermore, the market is beginning to reject it as well. Toshiba is starting to eat into iPaq's market dominance as they introduce far more FUNCTIONAL, INTEGRATED units that are smaller that the base iPaq. That doesn't even begin to factor iPaq with it's iBrick attachments.


HP is going to be slaughtered this year in EVERYTHING EXCEPT printers. The HP-aq merger is the antitheses of synergy. The two is far LESS than the sum of there parts. Especially considering they're choosing all those bad parts from Compaq.

[Foo Fighter]

MUST KILL THE DUDE! MUST KILL THE DUDE!

[Paul Martin]

First.

Dell makes it's living satisfying the needs of corporate IT. The patch heavy, accesory dependent, easy to break iPaq hardly fits this model.
........

They carried these handhelds because of their size, practicality and mature styling (not a handheld boy-racer toy).

I would expect an offering from Dell to include an integrated lid, CF, a swappable battery and Bluetooth. In other words, it will be alot like the forsaken Jornada 570 ;-)


Just got to thinking...if Dell really does like the stability and other factors of the Jornada, why not just hire the canned Singapore team that developed it?

-- Paul

PocketPC hunter

[LAVA]

The problem, as I see it, is that when it comes to corporate sales Dell seem to have a very good rep. Dealing with individual users, however, they don't seem to care much. This is based only on what I've heard - it may be that others have heard very different.

It seems to make sense that Dell would go after the corporate market. Even in the article it says----
"According to the Ars report, Dell is most likely looking to round out its product line aimed at enterprise customers......"

In this case, it doesn't seem that the consumer is who they are targeting.

As for me, I am taking a wait and see attitude. Dell doesn't always 'hit the bullseye' (pun intended) even with their PCs. It is great to see Dell getting into the market though, regardless of their product offering(s).

[possmann]

I don't know about most of you, but I have had nothing but good luck with all my Dell products - and the ability to customize to what I want and get it mailed to me in short order is very apealing...

How that would translate into the PDA world? I'd like to see them offer some options like integrated Bluetooth or WiFi, additional memory, etc... I think it would certainly shake things up a bit and Dell is the right company to do it.

Now having said that, it will be interesting to see what (if anything) comes of it...

[Ed Hansberry]

I am like many here. Nothing but good stories about Dell equipment, from my 2nd Dimension at home, 3 personal laptops and umpteen Optiplex and server products. I 100% dell in the PC/laptop/server world.

Never had good luck with Compaq and HP products - not across the whole line.

I hope Dell's reputation extends to their Pocket PC.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

...
Furthermore, I found the allusion to Compaq and Dell as rivals to be a silly analysis. The reason Dell doesn't sell iPaq, is because they're unreliable and high maintenance. Dell makes it's living satisfying the needs of corporate IT. The patch heavy, accesory dependent, easy to break iPaq hardly fits this model.
...

Having spent time in the past with Compaq as a consultant and having had coworkers who provided similar services to Dell, the "allusion to Compaq and Dell as rivals" is not all that silly. It's truly in their culture. The two companies have spent a lot of time in the past looking over their shoulders with the sole intent of reacting to one another. We've seen several companies from Compaq, Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer, IBM, etc. compete in the PC markets. However, the two companies that have remained the most visible for the longest period of time in this market has been Compaq and Dell.

While I won't argue the issues with the iPaq, Dell put the dust-laden Jornadas on sale the moment they were available. They never had the time to truly assess whether they were good units or not. Granted, the dust issues have been resolved and the Jornada has turned out to be a solid product, but to suggest that they didn't sell the iPaqs strictly because of the QA issues is not very business savvy considering that the iPaq has been the #1 selling PPC since its introduction. On the other hand, Dell deciding not selling the iPaq because it would result in them boosting sales for their most highly recognized competitor IS business savvy.

Ekkie

[Dave Conger]

...good stories about Dell equipment, from my 2nd Dimension at home, 3 personal laptops and umpteen Optiplex and server products...Never had good luck with Compaq and HP products - not across the whole line.

I totally agree. I have worked in two different lab testing situations and in both cases I always had more problems with the Compaq and HP product lines. Dell has always made their machines easy to work with while Compaq and HP were still trying to "figure out" a way to make the case open that is "easy." I only consider two options when I need a new machine: Dell or build it myself (and for a laptop, always Dell).

[Terry]

I hate my HP desktops (they are very poor performers) and I equally hated our Compaq webservers (always had OS problems due to strange motherboard configurations).

My company uses both HP Vectras and NetServers. I have been very happy with their performance (we've benchmarked PIIIs and P4s against Gateway, Compaq, and Dell without any signficant differences, depending on configuration, of course) and have received excellent after-sale service from HP when we've had minor problems (less than 1% of our HP systems have needed service). Unfortunately, HP has discontinued these lines, so the whole issue is really moot.

Another case of YMMV (your mileage may vary) and IMHO.

I'm sticking with my Jornada till the whole X-scale thing settles out.

[madmaxmedia]

Since we're talking about experiences with different PC's, I just have to add that I HATE Compaq's home PC's (Presario). I've seen way too many people (2 is too many) get suckered by a $50 price difference and buy one of those crappy POS's with weird motherboard configurations and Cyrix CPU's, nonstandard cases, and other cost-cutting compromises.

I don't think they do it anymore, but anyways-

[Tierran]

I have to say I've never been particurally fond of my Dell Precission 220. Nothing but problems with poor hardware integration (the ATI card they put in was terrible) as well as dismal onboard sound (which I don't want integrated anyway). But I've heard more good things from people, just I don't like my computer.

[dcharles18]

MUST KILL THE DUDE! MUST KILL THE DUDE!

LMAO, I can't stand that kid! :lol: